Condenser for refrigerating machines



April 16, 1929. R. M. HYDE 1,709,176

CONDENSER FOR REFRIGERATING MACHINES Filed 1390.13, 1926' Patented pr. 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,709,116 PATENT OFFICE.

ROLLIN M. HYDE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO MCCOBD yRADIATOR @c MFG. CO., OI? DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

coNDENsEn Fon anrnronnarme MACHINES.

` Application filed December 13, 1926. Serial No. 154,379.

This invention relates to improvements in condensers for use in connection with refrigerating machines, such as are installed in houses, apartments, hotels, and the like.

In my copending application, Serial No. 141,491, filed October 14, 1926, I' have shown, described, and claimed a condenser generally circular or annular in form and adapted to be located directly in front of the air circulating fan of the compressor assemblyso that substantially all portions of the condenser are in the direct path of the air currents produced by the fan to be effectively cooled thereby.

The main obj ect ofmy present invention is to provide a condenser of lthis general type but constructed to receive the fan within the center of the condenser and thus completely surround the fan so as to be effectively cooled by the air currents sent off radially from the fan or other aircirculating device which may be used.

By having the condenser surround the fan or other air circulating device and receiving the air currents radially therefrom, the condenser to be most effective need not be limited in size to the'outer diameter of the fan, as in my copending application as aforesaid, but may be made considerably larger and thus have a greater capacity for refrigerant circulation therethrough without unduly increasing the size of the entire condenser assembly.

Moreover, in having the condenser surround .the fan, the condenser yforms a housing for the fan and avoids the use of separate casings or shields Afor protective' and safety purposes, as when fans with exposed fan blades are used. Y.

The invention consists further in the matter's hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a condenser constructed yin accordance with my invention and shown surroimding an air cir- -falating fan;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the condenser and fan assembly as illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the indirect line 3-3of Fig. 2

to show the manner in which the tubes are4 connected with a header of the condenser.

The condenser of my inventlon cons1sts x`of a multiplicity of curved tubes 1, 1 arranged iri circular form and connected for the circulation of a refrigerant therethrough by hollow headers 2, 2, as shown in 1. The tubes 1, 1 are arranged in side by side relation and thelheaders 2, 2 are disposed transverse thereto, so as to provide with the tubes a hollow structure to receive within the same an air circulating fan 3 or other device for blowing air over the condenser, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The shaft f1 of the fan extends outward from the center of the condenser assembly and may be rotated or driven in any suitable manner from the electric or other motor of the compressor unit. It is general practice to mount the fan directly on the shaft of the motor, as

this gives greater speed to the fan, and as the fans are usually small in diameter, a.A

high speed is very beneficial.

The fan 3 when of the bladed type, as illustrated in said figures, has 4its blades set at such a pitch'that they discharge air currents radially therefrom and thus blow air over the condenser assembly which surrounds the same. Thus the condenser is positioned to have substantially, if not all of its radinot be unduly large and bulky, as the condenser in surroundin they fan may be brought close about t e outer periphery thereof. .This enables me to rovide a. con# denser of the desired radiating surface in a very limited space without interfering with? the close arrangement of the other parts the condenser in circular or'annular form gives it a neat and pleasing appearance fitting in well with the feature of compactness vrequired for compressor units as used for refrigerating machines. Furthermore, the condenser houses the fan 3, and thus in it self provides a protective shield or guard about the exposed blades.

The particular structure shown in Figs. 1

-and 2 husa pair of headers 2, 2 diametrieally disposed and connected on opposite sides by a series of semicircular tubes 1, 1. Each` tube carries a heat radiating fin strip 5, which may be spirally Wound about the outlmaking up the compressor unit. Making foo soldering,

side thereof and extending from one header to the other. Of course, tubes without iins may be used if desired, or a combination of plain and iinned tubes quired.

Moreover, in Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown the condenser with the headers 2, 2 arranged at an inclination to the axis of rotation of the fan 3 and with the semicircular tubes 1, 1 on one side of the headers in the same p'lanes as the corresponding tubes on the.

opposite side of the headers. The tubes are connected with their respective headers along the longitudinal center lines of the latter, and this makes the several sets of tubes have different diameters, with the latter increasin from one end of the headers to the other. Wien the headers are disposed to incline back over the fan, as shown in Fig. 2, the tubes at the outer ends of the headers are of the smallest diameter, while the tubes at the inner ends of the headers have the largest diameter. This gives greater compactness to the condenser assembly.

The headers 2, 2 are preferably stamped from sheet metal and are made alike. Each header is made in two half sections having marginal flanges 6, 7, by means of which the are Asecured together by lock-seaming, sol ering, stitch-welding, or. any other preferred method. In the drawings, I have shown the flanges connected together by lockseaming, which is accomplished by making one flange wider than the other so that the wider flange may be turned over and pressed against the narrower flange and soldered, to provide a leak proof joint.

The tubes 1, 1 are connected with their respective headers 2, 2 by having their ends entering anged holes 8,8, as detailed in Fig. 3. These holes are provided iny the sheet metal body of the'header sections, and the tubes are -made tight in the holes by Hanging or' some other method. To connect the condenser in the refri erant circulation, one header is provided with an inlet pipe and the other with an outlet pipe, these pipes being indicated by 9, 10, respectively, in Figs. 1 and 2.

may be used, as re-V apiicay In making the headers of sheet metal and in sections, building of the condenser 1s greatly facilitated, for the reason that the two sets of semicircular tubes 1, 1 may be connected with the respective half sectionsin construction. In use the condenser re-v ceives refrigerant under a high pressure and a high temperature and discharges the refrigerant at substantially the same pressure but at a considerably lower temperature due to the cooling action of thel condenser. The headers and tubes have relatively thin metal Walls for the rapid cooling of the refrigerant.

The details of structure may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

vI claim as my invention: Y

`1. A condenser for refrigerating machines, consisting of opposed converging headers having inlet and outlet openings, and a mulheaders and connected therewith for the circulation of a refrigerant therethrough, said tubes being curved and'arranged in side by side relation and connected with the headers in a manner to formcircles increasing in diameter from one end of the headers to the other.

2. 'In a condenser assembly for refrigerating machines, the combination with a rotary air circulating fan, of a condenser for the circulation of a refrigerant therethrough and surrounding the outer periphery of the fan for receiving air therefrom, said condenserof tubes on opposite sides of the having a multiplicity of curved tubes arranged in side by side relation to form circles increasing in diameter from the frontof the fan. t

In'testimony whereof I aiiix my signature this 10th day of December 1926.

ROLLIN M. HYDE 

